So it's a good idea to keep a small stainless machete or axe near the bow should you ever have to chop a big line. You don't pound your knife with a big lignum marlinspike to cut braided rigging and running lines, but do realize that a small serrated knife isn't going to work well on a 1' or 2' anchor line or even on a decent sized mooring line. Plus, a modern sailor leaves her/his knife on the boat when going ashore - that's because in too many places, almost any kind of knife is illegal - the exception is if you need it for your work and you leave it at work, and that's what you do on your boat. Everything else is really for the marina. Offshore regs now require knifes, and many people get super-cheap folders, but the better knife is a fairly short fixed blade. Now bear in mind that when you need a knife the most you don't want to find it slipped off the clip on your pocket or that you can't get it open. Second, you aren't likely to want to have a scabbard on your belt or forearm, so you want a folder. In this case you are using braided lines that don't cut worth a dang without serrations on the blade. Assuming you're a basic recreational yachtsman and not a rigger. The blunted tip is because every first mate made sure that the tips were broken off a knife to prevent stabbing during a fight. A guard gets in the way, a curved blade will slip off whatever you're cutting, and the thick blade is because you are pounding on it. This is because cutting on heavy lines is best done by laying the knife on the cordage and hitting the back of it with a lignum mallet or marlinspike. An old-time rigger has a knife with a nearly straight edge, a blunted tip, little or no guard, and a very thick blade. Just happened on this thread, and thought I'd add a few comments from personal experience.įirst, choice of knife really depends on how you're going to use it.

Marlin spike weapon